1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to shelf accessories. More specifically, it relates to a product dispensing apparatus for use on retail shelves.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When shelves are randomly loaded with articles a purchaser can not easily locate a specific item. A random storage condition is therefore undesirable not only to most purchasers, but to store owners as well. Various shelf organizer devices have been suggested in the prior art to correct this condition.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,300,057 discloses the use of a shelf organizer comprising a plurality of interlocking horizontal and vertical planar units. These units may be connected to one another in various directions so as to extend the unit(s) in a preferred direction about the length of the shelf area. This '057 organizer, however, incorporates no means for automatically moving articles from the back toward the front of the shelf for easy grasp by the purchaser.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,735,552 also discloses an apparatus used to attractively display packages. Again, however, such an apparatus can not automatically advance an article to an easily retrievable position after other articles have been removed from the stack.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,164,350 discloses a merchandise display stand having an open-topped box-like counter portion. This '350 apparatus does not include any means for automatically advancing articles from the back of the box toward the front of the box.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,191,776 discloses a multiple row display rack with pairs of horizontally-adjustable risers which may be adjusted to the particular width of the article to be displayed. This '776 apparatus apparently relies on gravity to advance each article toward the front of the display rack.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,904,187 discloses a dispensing rack in which hair wave rods are also gravity-fed toward the purchaser's hand.
As can be seen these gravity-feed systems require an extra amount of vertical height to work properly. Most store owners in order to pack the maximum amount of saleable product within their horizontal shelving systems prefer, however, to space each horizontal shelf at a minimum distance above the product resting o the shelf below.
A dispensing apparatus therefore needs to be developed that does not rely on the use of gravity for product advancement toward the purchaser, especially if the vertical height required for a gravity feed system is not available, such as between closely-spaced shelving systems. This dispensing apparatus must maximize the volume of product presented while requiring a minimum amount of shelf space. As a secondary consideration, such a dispensing apparatus also needs to counter the tendency of some product vendors to "pirate" shelf space from a competing vendor. The apparatus should therefore prevent the unauthorized use of the dispensing apparatus by competing vendors.